Comment on Unsung Heroes: Jaguar XJ40 by Gary Lawless

Gary Lawless — Mon, 04 Apr 2016 22:29:10 +0000

I worked my way through a series of increasingly powerful Rover cars, culminating in an insanely powerful, heavily modified (engine and transmission mods, I mean. My car didn’t look like the General Lee or anything.) 820 Vitesse fastback, BRG. This car was dyno’ed as 244 bhp, and could go 153mph. I destroyed this car in September 2007 when I rolled it into a ditch. I bought another, 1998 Vitesse saloon (again in BRG) about a month later, and drove it for nigh on 70,000mls, with only the tiniest of mods (a SS exhaust and a K&N air filter) until 2014, when rust finally got the better of her, and another MOT was just beyond her.
I didn’t consciously decide “I’m sick of steel cars, and the constant welding they want, it’s time to buy an aluminium car”, but I did spot a Jaguar X350 for sale locally, for just under 4 grand. It was ten years old, full JSH, and 99k miles.
Now, I have always loved the Jaguar XJ. I grew up almost aspiring to this car, as my father had a job which provided him with company cars, always Leylands, but never further up the range than Austin 1800s, or Triumph 2500s, at a pinch. He was once loaned an XJ6, while his (admittedly attractive, in Oxford Blue with cream velour interior) Austin 1800 was being repaired, and for a week it felt like we were in a different world. The Jaguar XJ, whenever it was built, from 1968 onwards, has always been the car you want a lift in, the car you want a look under the bonnet of, the car you want to go to a wedding in, and the car you own when you feel you deserve it. Even with Jaguar’s massive heritage, and huge output of famous and recognisable cars, the XJ remains the car which leaps to mind when people think of “a Jaguar”.
The design of the XJ was the last offered by Sir William Lyons, and it is perfect. Like a shark, evolution was unnecessary, it’s tucked in tail, it’s broad haunches, it’s four lamps, it’s perfect line. Always better looking than the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, just as well appointed, half the weight, just as comfortable, miles and miles faster, and a fifth of the price.
As a youth, and an absolute petrolhead, I collected car brochures, and the absolute gem of my collection was the 1975 Jaguar XJ range. A boy in my class at school, his dad had a V12 Coupe. The Jaguar XJ12 was technically a ‘supercar’ (although, it still topped out at a little over 140mph. My 2004 XJ6, with it’s little Ford-built 3 litre V6, can do 145mph) and by the time the ‘XJ40′ arrived, you could have a 2.9 litre straight six with a manual gearbox, fabric seats and steel wheels, and a letter from the dealer saying “Best of luck selling that.”
I consider my car the last of the XJs, certainly the last of the XJ6, and the model which now bears the name (since 2009, the current XJ, which starts at just under £60,000 and goes to over £90,000) to be contrary to the ethic of Jaguar saloons, which traditionally were built to be affordable.
Unquestionably, the current XJ is a truly fantastic car (the XJ-R is a massive, luxurious, unbelievably fast, hugely equipped car. But for 90 grand, of course, it should be.) and I wonder if we’ll see them in scrapyards (sorry, Vehicle Recycling Centres) in the future, where we can salvage the ignition switch, or the thermostat housing, or the little light in the ashtray. Maybe not.
My Jaguar is made out of aluminium, so it’s body won’t rot, and it’s engine and gearbox are sound. I’ve spent the best part of 3 grand putting it’s suspension and brakes right. I think I might just have the Jaguar of the future!

Comment on The money of colour by Dominic

Dominic — Sat, 16 May 2015 13:41:10 +0000

We have a signal red X300 with, wait for it, black leather interior. It was a special order colour.

Comment on Unsung Heroes: Rover 800 Vitesse by den

den — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 00:10:46 +0000

I’ve had a mk 1 827 manual,black ,full leather,i put lowered springs and adjustable shoxs,it really can to life.later I got a mk2 pre cat, manual .it was owned by rover as a show /demo car with the full works on board.the engine was blue printed (it came with full doc proof from rover) it was very rapid,so much more than my last one and my other 5 i owed over her life with me until she was stolen,the bronze tinted glass fragments on the floor was all i was left with

Comment on Unsung Heroes: Jaguar XJ40 by Alan Martin

Alan Martin — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 01:23:03 +0000

I own a 1998 XJ Executive, very rare find as manufactured with the 4L power plant, I’ve owned some great cars over the years including a new Porsche Caman 3.2L S, good car but very tinny, also a BMW 335 twin turbo, absolute pain in the arse always going into safe mode and BMW love to charge you £500 to turn off, anyway my Jaguar is by far the best car I’ve ever owned, totally pleasurable to drive, plenty of power, had for 4 years and never had a single problem, I truly believe this is a classic not to be sniffed at.

Comment on Unsung Heroes: Rover 800 Vitesse by wyn

wyn — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 15:15:34 +0000

I have owned my 827 VItesse AUTO with executive pack since 1996 it has now reached not far off 180,000 miles. During my ownership I have had a igniter go and that is it. It is still a fast car by today’s standards and would shock a lot of people!
Far better drive than my MG ZT 260

Comments for From The Captain's Chair

Comment on Unsung Heroes: Jaguar XJ40 by Gary Lawless

Comment on The money of colour by Dominic

Comment on Unsung Heroes: Rover 800 Vitesse by den

Comment on Unsung Heroes: Jaguar XJ40 by Alan Martin

Comment on Unsung Heroes: Rover 800 Vitesse by wyn